John Laub and Justin Heisey join forces to identify the top additions for the Week 6 College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire.
College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 6
Quarterbacks
John Rhys Plumlee, Mississippi
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 5%
When Rich Rodriguez was announced as the new offensive coordinator at Ole Miss, CFF players were immediately excited because of the fond memories of Khalil Tate, Matt Scott, BJ Denker, and Denard Robinson. Matt Corral’s play has been less than inspiring, and it appears that an injury has caused him to lose his job to the athletic John Rhys Plumlee.
Plumlee caught my attention last week against Alabama when he took 25 carries for 109 yards and a touchdown and looked the part of a Rich Rod quarterback. This has been the best Mississippi’s offense has looked all season, and Coach Matt Luke also noticed the upgraded offense against Alabama, which led him to start the former Georgia-commit.
As long as Plumlee is taking 20-plus carries a game, he’s a fantasy stud. He takes on a Missouri defense that struggles against mobile quarterbacks this week, and he has favorable matchups against New Mexico State, LSU, and Mississippi State the last six weeks of the season. Plumlee was a panic play of mine last week, and it paid off incredibly. — Justin
Zac Smith, Tulsa
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 3%
After dinner with the family, I sat down to watch the Tulsa-SMU game. I placed a wager on the Mustangs at -13 (and lost), started players on both teams in my DFS lineups and anticipated offensive fireworks. When the evening ended, the come-from-behind victory left me exasperated. SMU trailed 30-9 late in the third quarter, forced overtime with 1:02 remaining and earned the victory in the third OT. My wife could not believe how excited and loud I was while watching as she tried to sleep…LOL! In my opinion, it was one of the more entertaining games of the campaign so far.
Of course, quarterback Zac Smith impressed me, and I added him to my Waiver Wire Gemstones list. For the first time this season, Smith produced over 30 fantasy points with 346 yards passing and four touchdowns. He has accumulated 700 yards passing and six aerial strikes over the past two games for the Golden Hurricane.
At Baylor, he played in 18 games and started 10 games in two seasons. After transferring to Tulsa, the redshirt junior sat out the 2018 campaign. At 6-foot-3 and 224 pounds, Smith is a classic pro-style quarterback with command of the pocket and a big-time arm. He has a couple of nice pass catchers (Keylon Stokes and Sam Crawford, Jr.) and a good ground game (Shamari Books and Corey Taylor II) to assist him moving the chains. The remaining American Conference schedule foreshadows continued success for Smith and the Tulsa offense. — John
Jake Luton, Oregon State
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 8%
Oregon State has surprisingly won two games this season and looked competitive against Hawaii, Stanford, and Oklahoma State. It’s also surprising to learn that the Beavers boast a Top 25 Total and Scoring Offense.
While their stable of running backs featuring Art Pierce and Jermar Jefferson may be largely to blame for this, Jake Luton has been the silent hero of this unit. In the past three weeks, Luton has tossed 10 touchdown passes and his receiving corps has improved with the return of Tyjon Lindsey and the emergence of Champ Flemmings.
On top of his 15 total touchdowns, Luton has yet to turn the ball over this season. The Beavers’ signal-caller has not-so-great matchups against Utah and California over the next two weeks, but it is smooth sailing after that. He’s owned in less than 10% of leagues as of Monday and that should change after such a huge outing. — Justin
Twitterverse on Fire!
If you had a vote, who would get your Heisman support after six weeks?
- Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama: 16%
- Joe Burrow, LSU: 18%
- Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin: 38%
- Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma: 27%
John’s Vote: Joe Burrow
“If LSU wins the SEC, it will be Joe Burrow!” @aceholesrule
“Where is Justin Fields on the list? He will win….” @TFBBBlueprint
“Tua or GTFO! While we’re at it, somebody take Kyler’s undeserving Heisman and retroactively give it to the Alabama star, to right last year’s wrong.” @markrlindquist
Running Backs
Johnnie Lang, Iowa State
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 1%
Iowa State’s offense has desperately missed David Montgomery this season as quarterback Brock Purdy has had to do everything himself through the air and on the ground. The Cyclones have bounced from one guy to the other in the backfield all season and finally gave one player the majority of the carries. That player is Johnnie Lang.
Lang’s notoriety rose in 2015 when he was arrested and jailed along with several other members of his high school team for burglarizing unoccupied homes. Iowa State rescinded his scholarship. Lang has since made the best of his second chance with Coach Matt Campbell and appears to have taken the top spot on the depth chart.
Over the past two weeks, Lang has led all Cyclone backs in carries and yards and has scored three times. He’s also caught at least one pass in the past four games. Lang appears to have the hot hand for now. If you snag him, the ceiling is very high against the high-scoring offenses of the Big 12. — Justin
Javian Hawkins, Louisville
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 11%
It is the second time that Javian Hawkins makes the Waiver Wire Gemstones list. In Week 2, I featured the freshman ball carrier when he only decorated 7% of the college fantasy football rosters. I am shocked that he is still available in nearly 90% of leagues. Go get Hawkins this week!
Against Boston College on Saturday, Hawkins dominated the Eagles with a career-high 172 rushing yards and a touchdown. “It’s hard to take him down even with his 5-foot-9, 182-pound frame because, well, it’s not easy to catch up to or corral him. He’s quick with the ball in his hands and has excellent vision. He continued his torrid pace on Saturday afternoon,” wrote Connor Muldowney on fansided.com in the saturdayblitz column.
The Cardinals’ ball carrier has eclipsed over 122 rushing yards in three of five games this season. He has accumulated 562 yards rushing and two touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. The redshirt freshman remains one of the best-kept secrets in the nation, but CFF diehards are slowly becoming aware of the remarkable runner. — John
Javonte Williams, North Carolina
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 6%
Few situations drive fantasy footballers crazier than the dreaded running back by committee approach in the backfield. All season Coach Mack Brown has interchangeably alternated between Javonte Williams (83 attempts and 10 receptions) and Michael Carter (84 attempts and 13 receptions). It might be the most equal distribution of touches among teammates in the country.
It has been difficult to choose between the two ball carriers, and few CFF zealots have invested in either. However, over the past three games, Williams has outperformed his teammate, scoring 51.3 to 34 fantasy points. He has recorded 287 yards rushing and two touchdowns as well as seven receptions for 71 yards.
At 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds, the sophomore is more self-assured, and it shows on the gridiron. And the coaching staff is scheming opportunities for Williams to showcase his talents. “He’s got such powerful legs, he’s hard to tackle. In our offense, you get the ball to him in space a lot. So when you throw those flares and you’ve got receivers blocking, sometimes those safeties don’t want to come up,” Coach Brown said in the newsobserver.com by Jonathan M. Alexander.
A vibrant runner, he appears to be the better option of the two Tar Heels, and I am willing to recommend picking up Williams. North Carolina is on bye this week, but travels to Virginia Tech and hosts Duke after the short recess. — John
Twitterverse on Fire!
Who is your No. 1 RB prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft after six weeks?
- D’Andre Swift, Georgia: 19%
- Travis Etienne, Clemson: 11%
- Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin: 61%
- Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State: 10%
John’s Vote: Travis Etienne, Clemson
“Didn’t realize Chuba took a redshirt season: Hubbard, Taylor, and Swift. It will just come down to who tests the best at the Combine.” @DaDeano860
Wide Receivers
Kobe Smith, San Diego State
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 2%
If you would’ve told me that the Aztecs would have a fantasy relevant wide receiver at all this season, I would have been shocked but here we are six weeks into the season. Over the last two weeks, Kobe Smith emerged in the absence of Juwan Washington and caught a combined 14 passes for 203 yards and three scores.
I was worried that his production would slip with the return of Washington, but he still managed to put up game-changing numbers in Washington’s surprise return to the field. The Mountain West isn’t exactly known for its defenses, and Smith appears to be the first option through the air for the Aztecs. — Justin
Kalil Pimpleton, Central Michigan
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 21%
Last year, the Chippewas captured only one victory, and it came against Maine, an FCS opponent. On Saturday, Central Michigan won its third game against Eastern Michigan, 42-16.
First-year coach Jim McElwain has ignited the offense, and the Chippewas are the 32nd ranked unit in the nation, scoring over 25 points per game. “One of the things that we have been lacking are early scores and explosive plays. We’ve moved the ball pretty well throughout the year at times. We needed to get some explosives in; today we finally got some,” McElwain said after the victory in the morningsun.com by Al Goldis.
Who accounts for some of the explosive plays? In four games, Kalil Pimpleton has led the team in receiving yards, exceeding 100 twice. A transfer from Virginia Tech, the sophomore sat out the entire 2018 campaign and is blossoming this year. For the season, the sophomore has snatched 40 passes for 410 yards and three touchdowns. He is currently the thirty-fourth most productive receiver in college fantasy football.
Since QB David Moore inherited the starting assignment, the aerial assault has risen to new heights over the last four weeks. On the upcoming docket, Central Michigan hosts New Mexico and travels to Bowling Green, which are both terrific matchups for the passing game and Pimpleton. — John
Twitterverse on Fire!
On the Chopping Block: Identify the wide receiver who deserves to be benched for the rest of the season or dropped from your roster.
- Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt: 20%
- Damonte Coxie, Memphis: 18%
- Shenault Jr., Colorado: 28%
- Jalen Reagor, TCU: 34%
John’s Vote: Damonte Coxie
“I already dropped Reagor, but he showed some signs of life yesterday: 4 for 69 and 2 TDs.” @CavenderCorey
“Reagor was projected to score 20-plus every week, and hasn’t sniffed anything close to that this season.” @fishspinners
“Honorary mention to Nebraska WR JD Spielman.” @AddisonButler17
Taysir Mack, Pittsburgh
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 26%
After a decade of playing college fantasy football, I have learned that quality players can be rostered from any program. In general, the Pittsburgh campus has not harvested many high-end receivers over the past four years. Coach Pat Narduzzi prefers a strong ground game to complement his defense and shorten the game.
Watching the Panthers, it is difficult to ignore the improved passing attack, which ranks twelfth in the country, averaging 267 yards per game while completing 10 touchdown strikes. Taysir Mack is the biggest beneficiary of the improvement. Over the past four weeks, he ranks among the Top 10 of college fantasy football receivers, scoring 86.1 points. “It’s an honor that they believe in me that much. They feel like I have big-play capabilities, and I want to live up to everything they’re holding me to. There was something they said before the game, we had a speaker. He said ‘You don’t have to tell a pit bull he’s a dog. If he’s a dog, he’ll act like a dog every day.’ That’s the mentality I want to keep,” Mack stated after his outstanding performance against Delaware in the post-gazzette.com by Craig Meyer.
Mack, 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, leads the Panthers in receiving yards with 511 and has grabbed 41 passes and scored two touchdowns. The junior is clearly overlooked among CFF owners and deserves a roster spot in all leagues. — John
Sam Pinckney, Georgia State
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 1%
Georgia State quarterback Dan Ellington has played incredibly all season, which is interesting because the Panthers lost their stud wide receiver Penny Hart. Throughout the first several weeks of the campaign, Cornelius McCoy looked like the guy to replace Hart, but in the last few games, Sam Pinckney is the man for the Panthers.
Pinckney has caught 16 passes in the past two contests with a total of 215 yards and two scores. He’s emerged as the number one target in this Georgia State offense and should have massive games against Troy, App State, and UL-Monroe. — Justin
Kyle Pitts, Florida
Ownership Percentage: 25%
Florida’s offense has looked a lot better since Feleipe Franks went down for the year and that’s strange considering Trask’s arm is rather pedestrian. His lack of overall arm talent benefits tight end Kyle Pitts due to the short routes he runs to the convenience of Trask’s underwhelming throws.
Over the past four weeks, Pitts has caught four or more passes in each game with three total touchdowns. He also had a huge week as a receiver with eight catches for 65 yards against a tough Auburn defense. Florida does still have Georgia on the schedule, but outside of that, they don’t play too many. — Justin
Twitterverse on Fire!
On the Chopping Block: Identify the wide receiver who deserves to be benched for the rest of the season or dropped from your roster.
- Kalija Lipscomb, Vanderbilt: 20%
- Damonte Coxie, Memphis: 18%
- Shenault Jr., Colorado: 28%
- Jalen Reagor, TCU: 34%
John’s Vote: Damonte Coxie
“I already dropped Reagor, but he showed some signs of life yesterday: 4 for 69 and 2 TDs.” @CavenderCorey
“Reagor was projected to score 20-plus every week, and hasn’t sniffed anything close to that this season.” @fishspinners
“Honorary mention to Nebraska WR JD Spielman.” @AddisonButler17
Honorable Mention CFF Gemstones
- QB Jett Duffey, Texas Tech
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 5% - RB Rodney Smith, Minnesota
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 16% - RB Kevin Mensah, UConn
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 13% - RB Lucious Stanley, UAB
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 1% - WR C.J. Johnson, East Carolina
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 1% - TE Josh Pederson, UL-Monroe
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 43% - TE Dalton Keene, Virginia Tech
Fantrax Ownership Percentage: 3%
The CFF All-Americans: Week 6
- QB: Jett Duffey, Texas Tech: 44.8 points
- QB: Hendon Hooker, Virginia Tech: 35 points
- RB: Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin: 53 points
- RB: Amare Jones, Tulane: 35 points
- WR: Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State: 35.5 points
- WR: James Proche, SMU: 38 points
- TE: Dalton Keane, Virginia Tech: 30 points
- FLEX: Rodney Smith, Minnesota: 28 points
Got some more names for the Week 6 College Fantasy Football Waiver Wire? Let John and Justin hear about it in the comments below.
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